In celebration of International Women’s Day, the Global Strategy Lab featured the extraordinary women researchers that form part of our team. Throughout the month of March, GSL showcased quotes and contributions of its female team members, celebrating their expertise and the impact of their work on global health.
Below, you can find a compilation of the quotes shared by GSL’s women researchers:
“Global health research and evidence-informed policy can only benefit (and be made more representative) from the inclusion of leadership voices and perspectives from diverse backgrounds, including women researchers and policymakers. Retaining the best minds in global health research requires equitably funding women-led research, but in Canada from 2000-2016, men received almost two thirds of all global health research funding.“
Susan Rogers Van Katwyk
Managing Director, AMR Policy Accelerator
Global Strategy Lab
“Many of the most ambitious and imaginative Arts+Health initiatives I’ve worked on have been led by women. Transdisciplinary research takes all kinds of extra work, but a “wicked problem” respects disciplinary boundaries about as much as a virus respects borders.”
Alison Humphrey
Research Fellow,
Global Strategy Lab
“Women contribute crucial perspectives to the conversation on global health research, as individuals’ health needs vary across gender identities. Achieving truly “global” health insights necessitates diverse research teams that include all genders. Despite comprising approximately 75% of the healthcare workforce, women remain underrepresented in leadership positions at around 25%. Leveraging the extensive experience of women within the healthcare system is essential for making evidence-informed decisions with worldwide implications. Ensuring equal participation and leadership roles for women in global health discussions is vital for shaping the future of healthcare in a comprehensive and impactful manner.”
Kayla Strong
Epidemiologist,
Global Strategy Lab
“As women account for roughly 70% of the global health workforce, the alienation of their voices directly impacts their lived experiences. Therefore, it’s vital to embed intersectional feminist perspectives into research priority setting and policy deliberation processes.”
Julia Rodgers
Research Associate,
Global Strategy Lab
“Women in global health research are uniquely positioned to bring the representation of a proportion of the global population with distinct health needs and vulnerabilities, powerful advocacy in global health equity, and diverse yet critical perspectives shaped by unique experiences and backgrounds. Women enrich global health research through bringing innovative and creative approaches to addressing complex health challenges in a way that is equitable and impactful.”
Elizabeth Mebrahtu
Research Fellow,
Global Strategy Lab
“Recognizing women’s contributions to global health and supporting their inclusion in leadership positions is essential. Women contribute diverse perspectives to research and policy, strengthening research agendas and interventions, and ensure the needs and concerns of women and girls are prioritized and addressed.”
Suzanne Naro
Policy Advisor, AMR Policy Accelerator
Global Strategy Lab
“Ensuring women’s experiences and needs are considered in global health policy means ensuring representative voices – across genders and different backgrounds – are included in the development of policy and the research meant to inform it.”
Daniela Corno
Project Coordinator, SAFE AMR Governance Partnership, Global Strategy Lab
“While it’s widely acknowledged that gender equality and diverse leadership positively correlate with improved health outcomes, the underrepresentation of women in key leadership roles within the global health remains a pressing concern. It’s imperative that our policies and programming prioritize placing women at the forefront, ensuring their inclusion in decision-making processes at every level.”
Lathika Laguwaran
Director of Operations,
Global Strategy Lab
“Women bring unique perspectives to the global health research dialogue, shaped by their lived experiences as caregivers, community leaders and health equity advocates. Their (our) active participation enriches the research process by guaranteeing that research priorities, interventions, and policies for addressing global health challenges are more comprehensive and equitable.”
Tina Nanyangwe-Moyo
Investigator,
Global Strategy Lab
“Incorporating the perspectives of women farmers in AMR research is critical. While they make up 43% of the global agricultural labour force, women are often limited in their control and decision making power over the animals and land they manage. AMR policy and solutions must account for gendered perspectives and inequities to be effective and sustainable.”
Fiona Emdin
Dahdaleh Research Fellow,
Global Strategy Lab
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